Despite sharp and clear criticism by several EU leaders, Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moskau today. On its website, the Hungarian Government presents the meeting in the context of Hungary’s EU Council Presidency.
A visit of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to Russia has triggered tensions between the European Union and Hungary that had just taken over the EU Council Presidency on 1 July 2024. According to newly appointed EU High Representative Kaja Kallas, Orbán “is exploiting the EU presidency position to sow confusion. The EU is united, clearly behind Ukraine and against Russian aggression”.
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy expressed his gratitude to Hungary for its humanitarian support for Ukraine, underlining that he believed that saving lives was the most important consideration.
“In einer volldigitalisierten Welt wird kein Auto, kein LKW, kein Job in Zukunft ohne Mobilnetz funktionieren. Deswegen müssen wir den digitalen Raum als das zentrale Nervensystem unserer Gesellschaft schützen. Auf dieses Ziel haben wir uns mit der Nationalen Sicherheitsstrategie geeinigt” – Bundesaußenministerin Annalena Baerbock.
In this update, international think tanks gathered by EU Council librarians analyse the following topics: How to harvest the windfall profits from Russian assets in Europe? How to make western sanctions against Russia working. Why reconstructing Ukraine at war can become a journey to prosperity. An how to create a bridge for Ukraine into NATO?
The EU Council today adopted restrictive measures targeting the Belarusian economy, in view of the regime’s involvement in Russia’s illegal, unprovoked and unjustified war of aggression against Ukraine.
The EU Council today decided to impose restrictive measures against two individuals and four entities responsible for actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine.
“Some Member States have already done it on their side, but these security commitments cover the military, the financial, and the diplomatic domains – and, in particular, it will be the way of channelling the resources coming from Russian frozen assets. It is good that we could take this money and provide more military support to Ukraine” – EU High Representative Borrell.
Committed to common values and interests and in line with European Council Conclusions and a Joint Declaration of Support for Ukraine, the EU and its Member States will contribute, for the long term and together with partners, to security commitments to Ukraine, which will help Ukraine to defend itself, resist destabilisation efforts and deter acts of aggression in the future.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz gave an introductory statement upon his arrival at the European Council in Brussels.
Ahead of the July NATO summit in Washington, think tanks examine NATO’s role in coordinating support for Ukraine, the efforts to seize Russia’s reserves and the possible consequences for the global financial system, the scale of destruction caused by Ukrainian drone strikes on refinery facilities inside Russia, and lessons in safeguarding their infrastructure.
The EU Foreign Affairs Council exchanged views on the Russian aggression against Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East. EU ministers then held a discussion on Western Balkans before having an informal discussion over lunch with their Western Balkans counterparts. The Council also exchanged views on Georgia and the Great lakes Region in Africa.
The EU Council approved additional restrictions against six persons involved in ransom and cyber-attacks affecting information systems relating to critical infrastructure, critical state functions, the storage or processing of classified information and government emergency response teams in EU member states.
The latest package of economic and individual restrictions against Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine increases the pressure on high-value sectors of the Russian economy, like energy, finance, and trade, and makes it ever more difficult to circumvent EU sanctions. The EU Commission explains the new sanctions in Q&A format.
Remarks by Gita Gopinath, IMF First Deputy Managing Director, at the NBU-NBP Annual Research Conference, discussing the impacts from one such large shock, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine: its direct effects on Ukraine itself, on neighboring countries, and on the global economy.
The EU Council today decided to renew the sanctions introduced by the EU in response to the illegal annexation of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol by the Russian Federation, until 23 June 2025.
“Our support and this peace Summit here bring real peace closer. The goal is a just, comprehensive and lasting peace. This would finally bring an end to the oppression and suffering of the Ukrainian people. This would reaffirm Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. This would restore the primacy of international law and the UN Charter” – Ursula von der Leyen.
At the close of the Summit on Peace in Ukraine on Sunday, 16 June, the vast majority of participating states agreed on jointly formulated positions and next steps with a view to a future peace process. 92 states from all regions of the world took part in the summit, 57 of which were represented by heads of state and government.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) rotated its teams at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP). Since the Agency established a continued presence at the site in September 2022, 20 teams of experts have crossed the frontline of the conflict in Ukraine to reach the plant.
With less than five months until the US elections, the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) today published six scary policy scenarios for a Trump 2.0 administration to help Europeans think through various challenges.
“Wir bleiben an der Seite der Ukraine im Kampf gegen den russischen Angriff! Wir unterstützen Sie und Ihr Land, und zwar so lange es notwendig ist! Und wir unterstützen Sie in den kommenden Jahren, wann und wo immer der Kampf durch Wiederaufbau ersetzt werden kann!” – Bundespräsident Steinmeier.
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